It can be challenging to adjust to an entirely new life abroad while dealing with academic pressure, financial needs, study commitments, cultural shock, work responsibilities, and more. Since you are going to be studying in a country that is incredibly different from your motherland, you may sometime feel too troubled, worried, homesick, and insecure. Know that it’s okay to feel low – it happens with everyone.
Here are some tips that will help you deal with stress effectively.
- Studying abroad can be an exciting moment in the life of a student. You can move to a new country and acquire new skills and make new friends.
- While there are many huge benefits to studying abroad, it also comes with its challenges. Adjusting to a new country with a new culture can make you doubt your decision. Therefore, as a student abroad, you will have some difficult times.
- As you may already know that the best way to overcome potential problems is to be prepared to face those problems, no obstacle should deprive you of your overall enjoyable time abroad.
- In this article, we will be looking into the UPS and DOWN of studying abroad, and how students can become insecure while studying abroad.
Below are some of the factors that can play a massive role in making a student insecure while studying abroad.
Language Barrier
The major problem of studying abroad is the language barrier, especially in a country that uses a language different from your mother tongue. Studying in such a country where nobody speaks your dialect can make a student feel a sense of insecurity.
Communication barriers are often a challenge faced by international students studying abroad. Because of this reason, a student may feel homesick, lonely, and insecure.
Cultural Differences
In addition to the language barrier, there will also be disparities in culture (cultural shock). Because each country has a unique culture, as an international student, you may find it challenging to blend with the trend.
Being exposed to new customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, or social group can be a robust experience.
As a student studying abroad, the implication of this is that you may feel uncomfortable, isolated, and disconnected.
Financial Inadequacy
Despite working with a set plan, there may come a time when you have to go against your financial rules by spending too much. This is very common among students, as it may be challenging to control finances from time to time.
Therefore, worries about your finances can slow you down and make you feel alone, stressed out, and insecure.
Academic Difficulty
Academic challenge is not peculiar to only those that are studying abroad. It is a general situation that all students face at some point in their educational journey. However, in an entirely different place, away from home, where the language barrier and cultural differences exist, it may be challenging to resolve academic difficulties.
Unlike in your home country, where you can communicate your problems comfortably with classmates and get assistance, you might not be bold enough to do the same abroad, where the language is a deterrent. As a result, feelings of insecurity begin to creep in.
Nostalgia
Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines nostalgia as “a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for a return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition.”
For students studying abroad, homesickness can be a real problem. Schooling thousands of miles away from your friends, family, and loved ones can make you feel isolated and insecure.
But then, It is not abnormal to feel homesick, not letting it become a crippling part of your experience abroad is what matters most.
How to Overcome the Challenge of Feeling Insecure While Studying Abroad
Learn the Local Language
Understanding the local language can go a long way in helping you overcome this challenge. The fact that you can verbally express yourself to people around you makes the difference. To do this, you can utilize many available online tools that can help overcome the language barrier. Also, feel free to ask fellow students to help you. They are always eager to help.
Embrace the Culture
Neither endeavor to accept the local cultural norms, because you cannot alter nor do anything about it, being a foreigner. You can read more about their culture, beliefs, and practices in a bid to know what to expect.
Do not panic; if you are patient enough, you will learn over time.
Control You’re Spending
Depending on the laws that in your study abroad country, you may be opportune to combine work with your studies. So, as a student studying abroad, it is okay to look for a part-time job which you can combine into your studies.
You can also consider the following tips.
- Avoid buying take-away foods; cook all your meals instead.
- Save up cash for the rainy days, as you’ll be happy you did when in the face of an unexpected occurrence.
Deal With Homesickness
As an international student, there are many ways to calm the voices in your head, reminding you how far away you are from home. Engaging in new activities, joining clubs, or new adventures in your study abroad country can quickly help you put away some memories and make you focus on the task before you.
The following can help you get over nostalgic feelings while studying abroad.
- Scheduling weekly or monthly Skype sessions with your loved ones
- Writing messages back home either by email or letters.
- Joining student associations
- Keeping a busy daily routine
- Meeting new people
- Travel and explore with new friends
Conclusion
There are a few things that can impact you as a student if you’re studying abroad. If you follow the suggestions provided in this article, you can relieve these problems for yourself. Remember that preparation is vital, so consider preparing yourself adequately for these issues before embarking on your international academic journey.
Are you a student studying abroad? Tell us some of the things that have made you insecure in the comments below.
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